Tequila Nights
by ssbailey
Summary: One drink with Garcia and Emily couldn't hurt, could it? Jennifer Jareau was about to find out.. Co-written with KDZL. JJ/Hotch with some M/E and Karcia. Inspired by Pink's song "Bad Influence". Please read and review!
1. Part One

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: This was partly inspired by a song of Pink's new album Funhouse called "Bad Influence". We hope you like it…It'll have a total of three parts. :)**

**Part One**

_"Alright sir...  
Sure I'll have another one its early  
Three olives, shake it up, I like it dirty  
Tequila for my friend it makes her flirty--Trust me"_

For the little dive of a bar that it was, Ray's was completely packed and it was only 8:15. Live music played loudly from the small stage, and JJ, Penelope, and Emily could hear the sounds of people having the time of their lives from where they were, getting out of the car almost an entire two blocks away. Henry was staying the night with Will at his apartment across town, and even though she and Will were no longer together, JJ suddenly wished she still had someone so she wouldn't be thrust back into the horrors of the dating game again.

"Guys, I'm not so sure about this..." JJ started suddenly, stopping in front of a store two doors down from the bar. Garcia and Emily had all but forced her into her tightest pair of skinny jeans, highest pair of black heels, and one of Emily's shimmery black tank tops--the look being completed by smokey eye make up and teased large curls in her hair.

"_Jayje_" Emily sighed, shifting from foot to foot in the red heels she was wearing, "We've talked about this. You _can_ do this, you _need_ to do this."

"Yeah Gorgeous" Garcia added as she reached out and grabbed her blonde friend's hand, "You and Will have been toast for three months now, you're finally back at work with us, and now it's time to go out and enjoy yourself with the world again. Drink a little, flirt a little, get a few numbers. You know...have a little_fun_."

"Okay" JJ conceded, "But only_one_drink, and nothing stronger than a beer. I still have to pick up Henry at seven in the morning. Will has the early shift tomorrow."

"Change that beer to a margarita and you've got yourself a deal, baby cakes" Garcia added as the three women navigated through the dozen or so people standing outside the bar--most of them smoking or on the phone.

"Fine, but only one Pen. Just one. No persuading the bartender to add more shots to it either."

"You're taking all the fun out of Jayje..." Garcia said grudgingly, "But fine. I won't use my God given gifts to persuade the bartender to add a few extra shots of Tequila to your drink. Scout's honor."

"Promise?"

"She promises." Emily interrupted with a sigh, she was almost ready to just push her friend inside the door if she didn't move soon. "Now lets go in. It's freezing out here in this short sleeved shirt!"

* * *

"Hey Hotch, you up for a drink?" Morgan asked on his way out of the bullpen. Rossi, Hotch, and himself had all elected to stay and finish their paperwork before the weekend started, while the others decided to neglect theirs until Monday morning.

"Thank you for the offer, but I have a lot of work to finish up on." Hotch attempted to avoid the outing with the other members of the team.

"Come on, man. It's not like you aren't already years ahead on the paperwork." Morgan pointed out, Hotch's grim smile the only confirmation that he needed that his assumption was correct.

"Yeah, Hotch. Let's go, you need to loosen up." Rossi agreed, ever since he had come back from retirement, he had been semi surprised to see what a workaholic Aaron Hotchner had become.

"I do _not_ need to loosen up." Hotch insisted, to the raised eyebrows of his colleagues.

"Hotch, you are here on a Friday night when even _Reid_ has a date. I'd say that's saying something." Morgan pointed out.

"Fine. But just one drink."

* * *

"So..." Garcia said, smiling wickedly at the gorgeous bartender waiting to take her drink order, "What's the largest size of Margarita you've got handsome?"

"Well we've got one that most people buy for two or more people to share, why? Bad day?"

"Nothing I can't handle. So I'll take one of those mega margarita's, whatever's on tap, and an apple martini. Put as much tequila in the margarita as you want, just make sure you can't taste all the extra." Garcia winked, "I've got this friend who needs to loosen up a bit, and tequila usually does the job, trust me." Penelope Garcia knew how to play this game, it wasn't JJ's fault that she didn't. JJ had agreed to one margarita, but lucky for Penelope Garcia, she had never said what size margarita that 'one' she had, had to be.

Walking back to the table ten minutes later, she had to smirk at the size JJ's eyes became when she noticed the over sized tequila based drink. "Garcia! What is this?" she demanded, "This thing probably has enough tequila to make us all a little flirty tonight. I knew I should've told you what size my one drink had to be."

"Oh hush, and drink up sugar. Thanks to me and my _assets_each and everyone of these drinks were free tonight. Scott the bartender will be happy to refill your drinks at any time, just tell him you're with me." Garcia sassed as she sipped her apple martini. "Where's Em?"

Pointing to the dance floor, JJ almost had to gag at the amount of grinding that was going on between her brunette friend and a red headed guy she'd just met. "She's out there getting lucky." she quipped before daring a taste of her monstrous drink, surprised to find she couldn't taste the tequila hardly at all.

"Aw look! My little profiler baby is all grown up!" Garcia said affectionately. "Now, tell me little Mama. Why are you fighting this so much tonight?"

"Because I have had my share of stupid men for the year and I don't need to get picked up in some bar so that I can complicate my life further." JJ groaned, slumping down into her chair. "I am sick of men!"

"Correction, you are sick of Will, not all men." Garcia stated, trying to ignore the glare that the blonde shot at her. "Look, you and Will gave it your best shot, and it didn't work. No one blames you for that. But, now that has been out of the picture for a while, its time that you got on with your life. Jayje, we want you to be happy." She said quietly, trying to get her friend to understand as JJ took a sip of the margarita of massive proportions.

"Its hard, I don't have time to date, and then its like dirt in the face that he is already in a new relationship. I don't understand why he can juggle a career, Henry, and a dating life and I can't." JJ said, laughing a little at her own admission. "I mean, I am trying my best, but I don't have time for men. I just don't. Maybe I work too much, or maybe I am just lazy..." JJ began before being cut off by Garcia.

"No senorita, we are not playing the whole self depreciating game right now. First, Will has Henry on the weekends...Two stinking days a week. It isn't exactly hard to be there for your kid when you are doing it part time. Second, you work for the busiest unit in the entire FBI, of course you are stretched for time! What I am trying to tell you is that I want you to get back on the horse...and if that doesn't work buy a puppy."

"OH MY GOD" JJ gasped, trying to suddenly make herself blend in with the floor, "No, this is not happening. Please say this isn't happening."

"Okay, so no puppy. Go it! Geez, baby girl what's the deal with you and puppy's all the sudden?" Garcia asked, oblivious to the three men who had just walked up to the bar.

"No it's not about the puppy!" JJ yelled over the music, "Just...look over at the bar and tell me if you see anybody you know."

"I'll do you one better, Jayje, I need a refill so I'll just head on over and let you know what I find." Garcia spouted as she stood up from her chair, and headed towards the bar before JJ could get another word in.

"Hey! Where's Garcia going?" Emily asked, a little out of breath as she approached the tiny table, "This mine?"

"Yea. She umm...went to get a refill. Look, I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back." JJ said quickly, grabbing her wallet and wobbling off towards the crowded bathroom stalls. Normally, she avoided public bathrooms whenever possible, but tonight she was going to make an exception because maybe, just maybe there would be a way that she could sneak out of this bar and into a cab on her way home. If not, she was sure she'd never live this down as long as she lived.

Locking herself in one of the germ contaminated stalls, she dialed for an operator. "Hi, I need you to connect me to the nearest Cab Company to Ray's, the bar on fourteenth."

"Alright, one moment please..." The operator said cheerfully.

"Thanks." JJ waited for a moment until a gruff voice came on the line.

"Ricks Family cab service, what can I do for you." The man asked in his low voice.

"I need a cab, I am at Fourteenth and Maddison..." JJ whispered before she was startled by Emily pounding on the stall door.

"Jennifer Catherine! You get out here this second or I am taking out my gun!" Emily threatened, although both women knew there was no place that Emily could be hiding her gun in that dress.

"Ms...." The man from the taxi company shouted after JJ stopped giving directions.

"One second!" She hissed into the receiver, "Uh....Emily, I feel sick. I think I need to go home and get some rest."

"And you need to wash your hair too, right?" Emily shot back, not believing a word of the blonde's excuse. "Hang up the phone and get out here or I will call Garcia."

"Fine!" JJ huffed, getting back on the phone. "Sorry, looks like a misunderstanding. Thanks for your help." She said hanging up the phone and exiting the stall to find a very pissed off Emily Prentiss.

"JJ..." Emily sighed almost angrily, "What's the deal? I thought you were at least having a little fun."

"I was, honestly, I was. But then Morgan showed up with Dave and Hotch...they cannot see me like this!" JJ all but shouted fearfully. Morgan seeing her like this was one thing, but Hotch and Dave seeing her in a barely there tank top and even tighter jeans was definitely something completely different.

"Morgan managed to get Hotch and Dave to come _here?"_Emily asked incredulously, "Damn, that means I owe him dinner tomorrow night."

"I'm sorry, but that just sounded like you knew there was a chance our bosses were going to show up tonight." JJ said, her anger rising. Had Emily and Garcia planned this with Morgan?

"We just made the bet this afternoon that if he could get Hotch and Dave here for a drink at any point this weekend I'd make him dinner, not necessarily tonight. BUT Jayje, think about it...You're here, Hotch is here..." she answered trailing off a little as her mind played out the scenario in her head, "And you do have that fairly large crush on our boss..."

"Em, the problem is he is our BOSS. He's not just some other agent, he's my boss. You know that the bureau has rules about that just like I do." JJ reasoned nervously. "Strauss has all but drilled them into our heads."

"So? Who cares what Strauss says? She's scared of Dave, and my bet is that he'd go to bat for anyone in our office just to tick her off. Or if it's because he's our boss, what about going for Morgan, or even Dave himself?" Emily suggested, knowing the blonde had no attraction towards the other two profilers.

"Ew." JJ said, scoffing at Emily's suggestion.

"What, it's not like Morgan or Dave are unattractive men, you just said yourself that you couldn't date him because he's our boss." Emily pointed out.

"Yeah, but did you see him with his tie and jacket gone and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows..."JJ moaned slightly at the memory.

"Well, you know that if you don't make a move that some other girl here tonight will. I'd put money on it." Emily encouraged her friend. Truthfully, she couldn't wait to get Hotch paired off with someone, his critical review of all of her paperwork the day after she turned it in was getting a little annoying.

"You, Morgan, and Garcia will bet on anything if you thought you could win." JJ added, but her resolve was breaking. A relaxed Aaron Hotchner was almost hotter than how he was at work.

"How about this? The rest of us will give you guys space--you sit next to him, challenge him to darts and stuff. If nothing happens tonight, I will never drag you out to another bar when you don't want to go." Emily proposed, grinning inwardly as she knew she would be on the winning side of this bet. "If you lose, you have to go on a double date with me and Morgan." Emily smiled wickedly, pondering how much fun it would be to analyze Aaron Hotchner's dating style with her muscular friend. "Oh! And Garcia gets to bring Kevin--we'd hate to leave her out of such a good entertainment opportunity."

"Fine." JJ sighed. She would later blame the alcohol and knowing there would be no way out of this once Emily Prentiss put her mind to it that led to her rapid acceptance. "But Garcia can't drag me out either."

"I'll go to bat for you on that one, but I'm not making any promises." Emily laughed, "Now let's get back out there." She commanded.

Walking out of the grimy bathroom, JJ immediately saw her friends seated at a large table. "You'll never guess who I just found." Garcia said excitedly as JJ scooted in to sit next to Hotch.

Hotch couldn't help himself from sizing up the blonde to his side. Her black tank top seemed to fit her perfectly, accentuating each of her curves in a soft manner and her smokey eye makeup seemed to make her blue eyes pop in a way he hadn't seen them shine in a while. She looked amazing, and for the first time since he agreed to this drink, he was glad he came.

* * *

"Think that margarita's big enough, JJ?" Morgan asked chuckling slightly from across the table.

"Blame Garcia." JJ answered, a little embarrassed at her drink of epic proportions. "I agreed to _one_drink, and she brings me this claiming that I never said what size the drink had to be."

"Well you were about to bolt on us, baby cakes. I had to get you to relax somehow." Garcia defended, not missing how a certain Unit Chief's arm had found it's way to the back of JJ's chair.

"Oh Pen..." JJ said laughing a little as she shook her head at the situation, "I think one _normal_margarita could have accomplished that task, I really didn't need on the size of the Potomac."

"Jayje, I want you smashed. One tiny margarita would not do the trick." Garcia explained.

"Why do want me smashed? Just plain wasted wouldn't be enough?" JJ teased, taking a sip of the monstrosity.

"Precisely." Garcia said with a wicked grin. Emily was starting to get impatient, didn't Garcia realize that JJ needed to actually talk to Hotch tonight if they were going to get together? She decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Guys, look! Darts. JJ, you love darts. I bet you couldn't beat Hotch though, I mean, he has really good aim." Emily said in an obvious attempt to get JJ and Hotch alone.

JJ just laughed and shook her head. She then turned to Hotch, "Do you want to play? It'd give me a chance to prove Emily wrong. Which I love doing."

"But you wouldn't. I would win." Hotch teased, the alcohol in his system allowing the words to flow freely. "Yeah, lets go." He said, grabbing their drinks and nudging her forward to the dart board. JJ could feel the nervousness rise inside of her, she wasn't usually alone with Hotch. She took a giant gulp of her large drink while he went to find the darts.

"Ladies first." Hotch said, handing JJ the darts. She got her solid footing, extended her arm, and threw, watching as the dart flew into the dead center.

"Bullseye!" She shouted gleefully, thrusting her arms in the air. "Still sure you're going to win?" She taunted, as Hotch laughed.

"You're tighter competition than I thought you'd be, but I think I still might pull it off." Hotch said confidently. Tossing the dart he managed to have his land right next to JJ's in the bullseye.

"Well, well. Looks like someone's been practicing." She said, smirking as she went to retrieve the darts from the board.

"Practicing? No, this is all natural ability." he teased, "Your turn."

At the end of the dart game, JJ had narrowly beat the Unit Chief that seemed to have expert marksmanship. Rather than celebrating loudly and allowing herself to down the larger margarita Garcia had ordered for her, JJ said casually to Hotch "You know, it's really loud in here, would you like to get some coffee?"

"What about the others?" Hotch asked, the idea of getting to spend a night alone with Jennifer Jareau sounding very appealing.

"They'll figure it out." JJ said with a smile.

* * *

"So, JJ, about that bet..." Emily said smirking as she shut the door to JJ's office behind her the following Monday morning.

"I guess we all have to go out for dinner." JJ said, blushing slightly as the brunette squealed with joy.

"Yay! Jayje, I'm so happy for you both!" Emily said, smiling as she hugged her friend. "Okay Saturday night at The Olive Branch. Morgan and I are meeting Garcia and Kevin there at seven unless we get stuck on a case."

"We'll see you there." JJ added as she watched her friend exit her office and hurry towards the direction of Garcia's. _So much for keeping this quiet..._


	2. Part Two

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews!! Here's the next one, we hope you like it! **

**Part Two**

"Wow, Emily." Morgan whistled as she opened her door, a week later than they had originally planned for their extravaganza. "You look great!" He turned his charismatic Derek Morgan smile on her.

"Not too shabby yourself, but let's hurry because I want to see if Hotch opens the door for her when they get to the restaurant." Emily encouraged as she grabbed her clutch and closed the door to her apartment.

"Well, it's not too far, and we should be the first ones there." Morgan pointed out, then pushed the elevator button.

"Unless Garcia got the same idea, then we'll have to fight for the best view of them entering the place." Emily countered.

"Alright, let's go." Morgan agreed as the elevator dinged. Secretly, he wanted to see how Hotch and JJ interacted just as much as his girlfriend and Garcia.

* * *

"Penelope, what are you doing here? I wasn't supposed to pick you up for another twenty minutes." Kevin asked confused when he opened the door to see his girlfriend.

"We have to go now! I have to see how much the Hotch-man likes my home girl." Garcia said, letting herself in. "Get your shoes...Now!" She commanded. She had no intention of missing the prime observational opportunities.

"Does JJ know that you are spying on her?" Kevin questioned. He had met her friend before, and JJ didn't seem the type that would be up for Garcia's plans.

"Bless her heart, she has no idea. But Emily does and she will take the good spots if we are not there first." Garcia informed her innocent boyfriend, throwing him his coat. "We have to go!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of his apartment, barely letting him get his shoes tied.

* * *

Hotch knocked softly on JJ's door a half an hour before the date was supposed to begin. He was slightly confused why JJ would ask him to pick her up so early, but had just gone along with it because he was excited to even have a date with her. It made no difference when he picked her up as long as she came with him...although he was not opposed to spending a little more time with her.

"Hey..." JJ said as she answerd her door. "Let me grab my coat."

"Not that it matters, but why are we going so early?" Hotch asked as JJ let him into her home. He took a good look at her, she was wearing a dark blue dress that definitely flattered her thin figure, and brought out her eyes. He liked what he was seeing.

"Because Garcia and Emily will both arrive ridiculously early so that they can watch us, and I don't like being profiled." She explained and then added as an afterthought "And I want to see how Morgan treats Emily so I'll have something over her head the next time she tries to pull something on us."

* * *

Unbeknown-est to each other, each couple had planned perfectly to allow for them to meet up at the restaurant at exactly the same time.

"JJ, I thought we told you to meet us here at seven?" Emily questioned as the entire group entered the restaurant.

"Yeah, you did. So why are you here twenty minutes early?" JJ asked, stepping to the side and allowing Hotch to stand next to her, his hand slipping into hers.

"We just wanted to make sure we got a good table, right Emily?" Garcia added conspiratorially, as the six of them entered the small Mediterranean restaurant.

"Right." Emily nodded, purposely trying to avoid looking directly at JJ. Emily knew her blonde coworker well enough to know that if JJ thought you were lying she would try to prove it by looking into your eyes until you caved and told her the truth.

"Table for Jareau" JJ told the hostess before turning back to her friend, "Em, why can't you look me in the eye? You know that's a pretty obvious tell that you're lying to me right now, right?"

Garcia saved her brunette friend from the Spanish Inquisition. "Jayje, what does it matter if Em's lying, why were _you_here twenty minutes early?"

"That doesn't matter." JJ dismissed quickly, then felt the reassuring hand on her back that seemed to wipe her memory of whatever plans her friends had for her as she looked into the eyes of Aaron Hotchner.

"We can seat you now." The hostess proposed grabbing a handful of menus.

* * *

_Well this is awkward _JJ thought to herself as she picked at her chicken pita, _I gave up a movie night at home with Hotch for this?_

Emily and Derek had spent the entire dinner practically making out, while Kevin and Garcia fed each other pits of their shared Patitsto. A beep from her blackberry brought JJ out of her thoughts, and she immediately wished it was something work related so she and Hotch could leave this disaster of a group date.

Pulling her phone out of her purse, she was surprised to see the words _'one new text message from Hotch'_displayed on the screen. Glancing to her right, she looked at the man in question who suddenly seemed to be absorbed in his Greek spaghetti.

_'Okay, I can play this game' _JJ thought as she opened the text to see the message. She almost laughed at what it read, _"JJ, pretend this is a detective who needs to talk to you about a case. He wants to send you the case files, but you need to be at work to get them. Then we can leave and go home like we originally planned for tonight.-Aaron."_

"Oh rats!" JJ groaned loud enough to catch Garcia and Emily's attention.

"What is it Little Mama?" Garcia asked, mildly concerned that something may be wrong with Henry.

"I just got _another_message asking me to take a look at a case file from a detective in Albany. He's faxing me the newest info to my office right now. I guess that mean Hotch and I have to leave, I'm sorry guys. I know we planned this whole night out and everything." JJ said, using all her powers of persuasion to help her cause as she and Hotch stood from the table. "We'll just pay the hostess on our way out. I really am sorry about this."

"It's okay, Jayje. We understand the constant calls." Emily reassured, "I hope everything works out."

"Thanks, Em. See you on Monday, everybody." JJ added as she felt Hotch's hand slip into hers and squeeze a little as if to say, '_That's enough, we don't want them to get suspicious.'_

Quickly exiting the dining room, Hotch paid for their meal before the two of them exited the large restaurant, relief entering both of them when they stepped into the night air. "I can't believe we just did that!" JJ laughed as she leaned to him, "How did you send that text without anyone noticing?"

"I have my ways" He said smugly, giving into the laughter of the moment as the approached the car.


	3. Part Three

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! :) Only one more part left to go after this one.**

**PART 3**

**Three Months Later**

"Freeze! FBI!" Hotch called as the entire team surrounded the Unsub. James Waverly had been preying on the women of Omaha, Nebraska--now he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.

"You _lied_ to them!" James cried, pointing his gun at JJ. This slight movement made a pit settle in Hotch's stomach. He had been against using her as bait from the start, but had begrudgingly agreed, admitting to himself that although she fit the victimology, she was good at her job.

"James, put down the gun or we will never be able to tell people that she lied." Rossi encouraged, each member of the team avoiding looking at Morgan who was attempting to sneak around unseen and take down the serial rapist who had murdered seven women.

James lowered the gun slightly, causing major alarms to go off in Hotch's mind. He was an anger-excitation rapist, and the likelihood of him surrendering so easily was slim to none. He noticed the way James looked at JJ, and suddenly it clicked. He reacted faster than James was able to act, darting in front of JJ just before James aimed and fired. The bullet tore into his right shoulder, stopping somewhere in his body. Three agents simultaneously fired, Rossi catching James in the chest, Emily with a perfect head shot, and Reid managed to catch him in the stomach.

Though the pain in his shoulder was mind-numbing, Aaron Hotchner was concerned with one thing. "JJ, are you alright?"

She laughed slightly, fighting the tears in her eyes at the man who had risked his life for hers. "Am I alright? I believe it was _you_ that just got shot. You don't have to save everyone yourself, you know."

"I know. But I had to save you. I love you." Hotch whispered, smiling weakly before he floated into unconsciousness.

"No! No Aaron, wake up baby!" JJ screamed as she held him in her arms. She vaguely heard Morgan calling for an ambulance as her fingers found his thready pulse. "No, please! Please, you just have to stay awake. I love you too, please..." she cried as the paramedics approached and almost had to rip him from her arms.

"He's fading fast, we need to hurry or he isn't going to make it." The male EMT informed the team as they finished loaded Hotch onto the gurney, "We're headed for Our Lady of Mercy hospital, you can catch up with us there."

Rossi was the one who finally spoke, everyone else either crying or completely solemn. "Thank you. We'll be there."

* * *

The ten miles to the hospital were probably the longest than any of the team had ever experienced. Emily had ended up driving because Reid was too shell shocked and JJ wouldn't let go of Morgan long enough for him to get them to the hospital. Rossi drove the second SUV behind them alone so he could make the calls to both Strauss and Hailey about what was happening, the fact that there was a real chance that Aaron Hotchner wasn't going to make it--Something JJ didn't need to hear.

Silence filled the first car, shocked that something so small could take down the Unit Chief that had seemed invincible for so long. Each one of them had been hurt in the line of duty, and though frightening, it was always reassuring to know that there was one person who would always be there. A rock. A source of foundation. That although UnSubs may surprise one member--hit them with a board, send raving dogs after them, or knock them unconscious and hide them in a rural cemetery--those Unsubs could never get their leader. Now, Aaron Hotchner, was holding onto his own life, and no reassurances would be enough if he didn't pull through.

"Is there an Agent David Rossi here?" an older nurse in orange scrubs as from the nurses station. Her voice rang through the crowded waiting area clearly, evidence she had a large amount of practice with this part of her job.

"I'm Agent Rossi." Dave said as he stood up and made his way over to her. "How can I help you?"

"Agent, you are listed as Aaron Hotchner's medical proxy, and we need you to sign this form before we can operate on him." the nurse said, polite but solemn--her face not betraying anything to his fallen friends condition.

"Can you at least tell me if he's stable?" Rossi asked as he signed the offered form without thinking twice. There was no way Hotch would survive without the surgery, that was just all there was too it.

"Sir, I can honestly say that I would not be out here asking you to sign this form before we operated if he wasn't." she informed him before retreating behind the glass doors that lead to the operating rooms.

_"At least he's stable, for now."_Rossi thought. If there was anything he knew for certain about Aaron Hotchner, it was that the Unit Chief wasn't going to go down without a fight.

* * *

Jennifer Jareau was used to stressful situations. She had been in too many state championship soccer games, too many press conferences, and too many life situations to really believe that she was able to crack under pressure. But sitting alone in a cold hospital waiting room was too much. Morgan and Emily had gone to grab some food from the cafeteria, while Rossi waited for Hailey to come with Jack. Reid had seemed to sense JJ's nervousness and had wisely left for coffee. Her thoughts drifted to a night not too many weeks previously.

_"I can't believe you had never seen the Bourne Trilogy!" JJ teased as the final movie ended._

_"I see far too much excitement in my own life, I didn't think I needed the rush." Hotch retorted. Over the months he and JJ had spent a lot more time together, tonight's escapade one of several as she had quickly learned that his pop-culture was not up to par._

_She snuggled closer to his chest. Tonight had been her turn, which meant they were at her apartment, Henry sleeping in the other room. She felt incredibly comfortable like this--together, with Hotch._

_"JJ, I..." Hotch stumbled for the right words. Normally he was an articulate person, but his mouth felt dry and it seemed as though the words had evaporated before he could speak them out loud._

_"Yeah?" She prodded after a moment of silence._

_"JJ, I think I'm falling in love with you." He blurted out, then pulled his arm from around her back to look at her deep blue eyes._

_"Aaron....I..." Her mind felt as though it were flying at a million miles per hour. She was attracted to Aaron Hotchner, but it had only been three months! She wasn't ready for disappointment quite yet. "I'm not sure..."_

_"That's ok." He said smiling, though his heart was tearing. "I shouldn't have--"_

_"No. I mean, I'm not sure that I can go this fast. I think I may be falling in love with you too, but I need to go slow." She insisted, backpedalling slightly--one thing was for certain, she did not want Aaron Hotchner to walk out of her life._

_"Slow it is." He said, placing his arm around her once more._

Why hadn't she been able to just tell someone what she was really feeling for once? Her mask had been up so long that after that night, she was almost afraid that it would never be let down again--not even for the man she loved.

* * *

Two hours later it was nearly eight at night, and they still knew nothing. Hailey and Jack were somewhere in the air on their way to Nebraska, and JJ hoped that Hailey wouldn't let their animosity towards each other start a fight tonight. If that happened, with both of their emotions raw, there was no telling what might be said--things that could never be taking back, and that was not what she wanted to be doing tonight. No, tonight she wanted to be at one of their many _sleepovers_, cuddled up in Hotch's arms.

_"JJ, sweetheart, that was...amazing." Hotch sputtered as he tried to regain control of his breathing. He had imagined what their first time together would be like, but the actual act had been far better than any of his fantasies. _

_"No kidding. I had no idea it could be_that_good." JJ admitted from where she was curled into his side. Originally, this was only supposed the be one of their many movie nights, but she liked this, feeling this close to him, far better than any movie--and that was saying something for the woman who owned enough movies to start her own Blockbuster. _

_Pulling the sheet over their sweaty bodies, Hotch was content to run his fingers through her hair for a few minutes. "I know we've only been dating a few weeks, but...I'm glad we did this." he whispered, kissing her forehead._

_"Me too." she answered, a smile on her face as she drew lazy circles with her finger over his heart. "Me too."_

"Aaron Hotchner?" A doctor asked as he entered the waiting room, interrupting JJ's precious silence.

Suddenly Rossi was at her side, "How is he?"

"He's going to be fine." The doctor said, smiling at the looks of relief that washed over the two worried faces. "The bullet did significant tissue damage to his upper back, he's going to have to go to physical therapy for his shoulder. It lodged in his collar bone, which was why we had to operate." The doctor explained.

"So, can we see him?" JJ asked hopefully.

"He's in recovery right now, the operation appears to be a complete success. Once he's lucid a nurse will come and get you, you can see him then." The doctor advised, happy to be on the side of delivering good news this time.

"Oh thank God!" Hailey said from somewhere behind them. "I'm his wife, and this is our son Jack." she said joining the trio.

"But I thought Agent Hotchner wasn't married? That's what it said on his medical chart and his proxy forms." The doctor asked, completely confused.

"Please Hailey, don't cause a scene tonight. We're all exhausted, and Hotch just survived what could have been a fatal shooting. Just let this be." JJ said calmly, she had already decided that she was not going to put up with any of Hailey's schemes tonight. Some other night, maybe, but not tonight when the love of her life had almost died.

Rossi stared at JJ in shock, and some awe, for saying what they were all thinking. "No, she's actually his ex-wife, Doctor Morris." he explained as Hailey stormed off. "Agent Jareau is his girlfriend."

"It's complicated" JJ sighed, willing the doctor to understand as she picked up a now dozing Jack and held him close. The four year old was tall but still relatively thin for his age and JJ found him almost light as a Henry as he fell asleep on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for confusing you."

"Oh." Doctor Morris said softly. He had definitely seen more awkward family situations, but it was always uncomfortable. "Well, we will only allow one or two visitors at a time--we don't want to upset him. I'll have the nurse alert you when he's awake." The doctor moved to go back to the nurses station.

Half an hour later, JJ was permitted by Nurse Amy to visit Hotch in the curtained area. She stood just outside, watching as the monitor's beeped, signaling the survival of the man who had risked his life for hers.

"Are you going to come in, or just stand there staring?" Hotch asked smiling slightly. He felt her presence as soon as she had come withing a hundred feet of him.

She entered reluctantly, guilt encompassing every emotion she was currently having. The bullet was meant for her, not that she wasn't grateful, but he could have died. "Aaron--" She stopped, the words dying in her mouth. Instead of encouraging her to continue, he allowed the silence to fill the room. This was her moment, he wasn't about to let it be cut short.

"Aaron, I was so worried." She admitted finally, cursing herself for her failure.

"I know. I'm fine." He assured her, the narcotics still in his system kept him from trying to explain further.

"No. Aaron, I---" She stammered, _Why is this so hard?_, she thought to herself. "Aaron, I love you." She finally managed to get out.


	4. Part Four

**Disclaimer: We don't own Criminal Minds.**

**A/N: Well this is the last chapter for this story. Thanks you guys for reading and reviewing this, we hope you like the ending!! :)**

**Chapter 4**

Aaron Hotchner was nervous. He had done this before, and look how it turned out. He had known for months that he wanted to marry her, but he wanted to make sure that their relationship proceeded at her pace. It had been three months since his shooting, and he had spent most of his time recovering and afterwards with the lovely Jennifer Jareau. JJ was not a frilly girl, and he was sure that although she might not want an overly elaborate proposal, he still wanted to make sure it was special.

Fingering the velvet box that seemed to burn a hole in his pocket, he returned to the paperwork he was supposed to be doing. It wouldn't do any good for him to try and surprise her if she knew something was worrying him. He just wanted everything to go perfectly.

He knew white Christmas lights were her favorite, so after calling in a few favors he now had the words _Marry Me?_spelled out in lights along a pale pink background. Another thing that JJ loved to do was just walk through the park, just them talking and laughing and just being together, so he had even incorporated that into the proposal by having the _Marry Me?_board placed against her favorite tree--the one she'd brought him and the boys to almost every Saturday it wasn't raining to have a picnic.

A knock at his door surprised him from the file that he had been looking at while his mind was a million miles away.

"Sir?" Emily stepped in the room and shut the door behind her, "Here's the Sacramento file." She placed the file on his desk lightly on his desk and studied him for a second.

"Anything else?" He asked.

She blew out her breath quickly defeated, "We drew straws, I lost. Are you doing it tonight?"

"Tonight." He nodded quickly, seeing JJ walk up into his office behind Emily.

"What's tonight?" she asked innocently.

"I was just asking her if she had been to the restaurant you wanted to go to tonight." Hotch informed her, which was not completely a lie--he had asked Prentiss a few days before if the restaurant would live up to its reputation. "What do you need JJ?"

"I need your expense report for the case in Sacramento." she added completely professional, but he knew she suspected something because she only talked with her hands when she was intrigued by something. "I'll just come back for it later."

Nodding his okay, she left the room again. "That was too close." Emily blurted, "You don't think she's figured it out, do you?"

"I hope not." He answered, a brief smile on his face as Emily left his office. His cell phone buzzed next to a few cold case files he had been asked to take a look at, and he picked it up immediately. _"Don't think I don't know something is going on, Aaron Hotchner, and I'm going to figure it out. Trust me. -JJ"_

"I wouldn't expect anything less." He muttered, shaking his head at her antics. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

* * *

"Garcia, I need you to do me a favor." JJ insisted as she entered her friend's office.

"You name it Wonder Woman." Garcia spun in her chair to face her friend.

"Something's up with Aaron, I need you to--"

"Woah! You're calling him Aaron now? This must be serious."

"The point is," JJ continued, ignoring Garcia's comment, "Something's up with _Hotch_, I need to know what it is."

"Oh no sugar pants, I'm not getting embattled in a lovers quarrel...not unless there's some _serious_ gossip in return." Garcia insisted, knowing that if JJ was truly serious about getting this information that she would give up some major revelation on her mostly quiet relationship with the Unit Chief.

JJ seemed to contemplate this bargain. _Is Aaron's secret worth selling my soul to Garcia?_ She asked herself, finally deciding, responded "What do you want to know?"

Garcia squealed happily with delight "What _don't_ I want to know?"

JJ suddenly realized her folly, "Ok, you get to ask two questions, then you help me find out what is going on." JJ quickly set down the rules.

Garcia smirked wickedly "Aww, you're no fun! Okay, first." Garcia seemed to only contemplate her question for a millisecond, she had been demanding answers for a while although JJ would never quench her thirst for knowledge, "How is he in bed?" Garcia raised her eyebrows wickedly, knowing how private her blonde friend was.

Just like Garcia expected, JJ's cheeks flamed uncharacteristically, "Good." She admitted with a smile, "_very_ good."

"I knew it! I knew someone that intense couldn't be anything less than a-maz-ing in bed!" Garcia squealed.

"Ssh! Don't let anyone hear you!" JJ chided, "I don't think Aaron wants me telling people things about our sex life."

"Sweetie every guy wants to hear he's great in bed, what planet are you living on?" Garcia wondered, then remembered she still had another question. "Okay sugar lips, riddle me this--does our dear Unit Chief special fetishes in the bedroom like the naughty nurse or the sexy French maid?"

"Garcia! I can't tell you that!" JJ answered, but her cheeks flaming even brighter gave Garcia her answer.

"I'll take those bright red cheeks as a yes, my little tomato." Garcia added, patting her knee, "So which is it--the nurse or the French maid?"

"No, it's not like that." JJ admitted in a whisper, "it's more black lace and, if nothing else, _extremely_ _tall_high heels."

"The boss man likes..." Penelope started, but was cut off by JJ's hand on her mouth, "Don't even start Garcia. Now are you going to help me or not?"

"Fine, you party pooper!" Garcia pouted, "What's so important that you _have_to know?"

"Look up _everything_! I want to know if he bought an extra pack of gum." JJ instructed.

* * *

Noticing JJ leaving the bullpen, Hotch smiled to himself. Little did she know that he had anticipated her trying to find his secret and had withdrawn the money over a month ago to pay everything in cash, not to mention cluing in Garcia on his plans so that she would know what to "miss" in whatever searches JJ asked her to run.

Trying to focus on the file in front of him, he thought back to how much his life had changed in the six months since he and JJ had started their relationship.

_"How are we going to make this work?" She asked, stopping him before they exited his car. Her car was in the shop and she and Henry had spent the night at his house, so they naturally drove together._

_"Make what work?" He asked, knowing full well what she was talking about but trying to give himself more time to think of a solution._

_"Work. And us." She asked slowly._

_"Well, technically you don't work for me. You work with the team, so we're not breaking any rules." He pointed out._

_"Yeah, but how well are you going to let me do my job? Are you going to make me stay back at the station? Are we going to tell everyone what's going on--because I hate it when everybody--" The words seemed to spill out of her, she had obviously been worrying about it a lot._

_"First of all, you are a competent agent." He said, interrupting, hoping that she understood what a compliment he meant that as. "I would lie if I said that I wanted to put you in the field of fire with every UnSub that comes around, but I trust your judgment. Like I hope you will trust mine."_

_She blew out a sigh of relief. She had dated several agents, and hated when men became overbearing and overprotective. "I trust your judgment." She admitted._

_"Second, I would never_make_you do anything. Most of the time you stay back at the station because it's your job, but if you are needed elsewhere, I can't see making you stay back just because."_

_JJ smiled at Hotch's explanations, loving the analytical mind he possessed--the way he answered each question fully without demeaning her worries. "I agree." She nodded, and he continued._

_"Third, we work with a bunch of profilers. I'm pretty sure they've already figured out that something's going on, but if you don't want to talk about it, we can keep it out of the office."_

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to pass quickly for JJ. She spent the afternoon sorting through new files, finishing the team's expense report, and fielding phone calls until well after five.

"Hey, you planning on staying the night here?" Hotch asked, casually leaning in the doorway to her office. "I thought we had dinner plans."

"We do, but not until seven and it's..." JJ answered, looking down at her watch, "Holy...why didn't you tell me it was already 6:15!"

"Because I knew you wanted to get all of your expense reports done. And, now I _am_ telling you its 6:15." He smiled charmingly, melting any anger she could have had at him.

"I just wanted time to look nice." She pouted, grabbing her purse.

"You always look nice." He insisted, opening the door wider for her.

* * *

"JJ, are you ready?" Hotch called up the stairs, "Our reservations are in twenty minutes!"

"I'm coming! Is my mom here to pick up Henry yet?" JJ answered as she came down the stairs, shoes in hand and her flowing red dress fanning out behind her.

"Wow. JJ, you look beautiful, sweetheart." Hotch said genuinely, Henry sitting calmly on his hip, "Your mom is putting Henry's bag in her car."

"You always say I look beautiful." JJ said, giving Hotch a look of mock sternness.

"And I always mean it." Hotch replied simply, leaning over and giving JJ a quick kiss. "But tonight you especially beautiful."

JJ smiled and began to say something, but was interrupted by her mom opening the door. "Alright, you kids can go, just let me grab my grandbaby and I will be off." JJ's mom said, taking the small child from Hotch.

"Thanks for agreeing to watch him tonight Mom, I know it was the last minute." JJ said thankfully, as she slipped on her shoes. "I had no idea we could get reservations at Filomena this quickly."

"JJ, you know it's never last minute until the hour before." Joanna Jareau sassed, knowing exactly what her daughter's boyfriend was planning tonight. "Now go on, get out of here or you'll be late!" she added as she made her way back to the car, "Just let me know when you want to come and get him!"

"Well, that was...odd..."JJ said, a little perplexed at her mother's behavior, "But she's right, we really need to get going. Are you ready?"

"I'm always ready." Hotch replied with a smile as she got her keys.

* * *

JJ could tell something was off with Aaron Hotchner. She had known for almost two weeks that he was working up to something, but she was baffled as to what it was. All throughout dinner, he had seemed anxious, as though he couldn't wait for dinner to be over. Then, as soon as the check came he had practically shoved her out the door. _Then_, he suggested that they go for a walk in the park.

"Okay, Aaron. What's going on?" She asked as they entered the park, sure that he had something up his sleeve.

"I just want to go for a walk, is there something wrong with that?" Hotch dodged.

"No, nothing is wrong with that, but you never want to go on walks with me when we come here." JJ answered as they rounded the corner, her breath catching at not only the words written in white lights, but the whole set up itself.

"JJ--" Hotch said lovingly as he moved to kneel in front of her, "Will you marry me?"

JJ squealed uncharacteristically. "Are you serious?"

"More serious than I've ever been in my life." He replied.

"So very serious...," She mused smiling. "Aaron, of course I'll marry you!" She shouted, wrapping her arms around his neck almost causing him to topple over. "I love you, more than anything."

"I love you too, sweetheart." He whispered, sliding the ring on her finger as he kissed her. "I love you too."

* * *

Penelope Garcia smiled softly to herself as she closed the long range video camera, grateful for modern technology that had captured her friend's happiest moment for future posterity. _Posterity_, Garcia thought smirking, _I wonder what their kids will look like. Hmm, photoshop!_


End file.
